Kaleiah's glasses!

My sweetie,
Yesterday you got your first pair of glasses! You know, it was hard for me to believe you could ever get any cuter but you have with these adorable, little glasses! I just want to squeeze you (more so than normal) :)
Last month we went to the eye Dr. who is one of the top ones around and we learned that you have Strabismus.
Strabismus is a disorder in which the eyes do not line up in the same direction when focusing. It started when you were about 16 months. Both your pediatrician and the Ophthalmologist said they actually see this a lot and that's it's not uncommon. This was a great thing to learn since me and Daddy were a little nervous at first. We were just unsure of what we would learn and the unknown as a parent about your baby is super scary! But we prayed and told God we could handle whatever the outcome was. It was such a relief to know it is a minor thing! Strabismus is also common in the Asian race which was interesting to learn as well. Your ophthalmologist's son even had Strabismus. We really like him, he is very thorough and positive. He specializes in working with babies/children.
When we first went one month ago we had to do some test on your eyes in order to get a diagnosis. This included dilating your eyes by giving you special drops in them. You, for good reason, didn't want a stranger putting something in your eyes so you cried and wiggled all over! I had to help hold you so they could get the drops in. Then we had to wait 20 min for your pupils to dilate. After that he did a handful of tests but looking in your eyes with different tools and he got his answer, which he was suspecting already. Strabismus. Estropia (inward) to be exact. He said he has seen much worse cases than yours and also he was very glad we caught it SO early! So he prescribed patching your good eye for 4 hours a day for 2 weeks. The first time we put the cute, little patch on you sort of wondered what it was but than adjusted to it within a few minutes. Daddy and I called it your glasses bc you love to wear my sunglasses so we thought we would make it fun :) And we always tell you how pretty it is, which you love :) You will stroke it when it's on your eye and say "nice glasses." So cute! You are so adaptable and intelligent that you really never gave us a fight with the patch at all. Daddy and I think you must understand that it's for your benefit :) After the second day, you would actually ask to wear your "glasses" to which we obliged :)

Two weeks later we had a follow up Dr. apt and had to dilate your eyes again :( Your pupils stay big for over a day which makes you super sensitive to light :(
You remembered this time and were not happy at all!!! It was much harder to get you to cooperate this time but like I said, I don't blame you hunny. You are such a good girl, so brave and we are so proud of you!
The Dr. said your eye hadn't improved too much to he prescribed you glasses and instead of patching 4 hours a day it went down to 2! You do not have "bad" eye sight but you are just on the cusp of needing glasses and you are also far sighted. Daddy's eyes aren't great so I'm afraid you may have inherited that from him :)

Daddy and I took you to pick out glasses and you did great trying them on. They came in yesterday and today was your first full day wearing them! You did fantastic!! You only tried to take them off a handful of times which is completely to be expected! After all, you aren't used to wearing glasses of any sort for so long, let alone prescription ones. They may bother your eyes or your nose so when you take them off I just give you a little break. We are easing into it and are not going to force you to keep them on every single minute of the day. You are only 1 1/2 and there's no way for you to understand what they mean and why you need them. But you did so wonderful today and you just make me so proud :)
In one month we will go back to the Dr. and he will assess your improvememtn and let us know the next step. The next step will most likely be surgery. Of course, the thought of surgery one my precious baby terrifies me. But we are told it's fairly simple, quick and non-evasive. This eye Dr. actually had his son wear a patch, then glasses and finally did surgery on him and that immediately fixed the problem. It makes totally sense since it's just a matter of tightening therefor strengthening your weak eye muscles. But Daddy and I will be praying that your glasses will fix it. But we also know that if surgery is the answer, that God will protect you. Just like He always has!!!

My love, as I'm writing this I'm fighting back tears. When I went into preterm labor with you and Kaden I feared losing you almost everyday. At 23 weeks, if you were born, you wouldn't have survived. Even if you were born with in the first month of my bed rest you would both have had a major fight to live. You could have had organ problems/failure, lungs problems, been blind, deaf, had brain bleeds leading to major developmental challenges, heart problems on and on. Not to mention the numerous surgeries that would come along with those problems and an even longer stay in the NICU than you already had to stay. So much could have gone wrong, been wrong.
But you were born PERFECTLY HEALTHY, just a little too soon. Your Daddy and I will never, ever be able to fully comprehend the grace God gave us when he protected you two. When I first landed in the hospital, the outlook was very grim. For the first 4-5 weeks I was in there, the Dr.'s didn't have a lot of hope.
Reflecting back on how there was a chance that you might have had serious problems or not be here at all....it's just makes me so thankful that this is the only health issue we have encountered with either one of you. Truly, truly amazing. We cane only praise God. It's because of Him my love.
Some people may stare or judge you or feel sorry for you but pay no mind. You have been a fighter since the day you were born, you have always made your Daddy and me so proud. Having Strabismus is nothing we can't get through. It's hard for us as your parents, especially me as your Mommy bc I am SO PROTECTIVE of you and Kaden, to not let what other people think matter. But we can't. If people feel sorry for you, I feel sorry for them. This is not a handicap. I am a complete mother bear and will growl at anyone who treats you with anything but respect and love. It's my job as your Mommy! I will always protect you, guide you, pray for you and love you NO MATTER WHAT!


You look stunning in your glasses!! You match Daddy, cousin Crystal and Cousin Maddy now :) Glasses rock :)
Love you baby!